Film Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho'
Film Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”
Introduction
“Psycho” (1960) is based on a novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film was directed by Hollywood legend, Alfred Hitchcock. The screen play was written by Joseph Stephano and based on the real life crimes of serial killer, Ed Gein.
The film stars Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, John Gavin and Vera Miles. The film garnered four academy award nominations and widely regarded as one of Hitchcock’s best films. It spawned two sequels, a prequel, a remake and even a television show.
Synopsis
The story begins with Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and her lover, Sam Loomis (John Gavin) who are conducting an illicit affair. Marion is portrayed as a respectable and moral woman and Loomis is, as such, her male counterpart, possessing the same qualities.
Later, at her work place, Marion is entrusted with a large sum of money by her employer. He asks her to deposit it at the bank but in a moment of weakness, Marion takes the money and runs to Fairvale where Sam lives. Though she does her best to be discreet, Marion is a terrible criminal and almost instantaneously draws attention to herself as someone who is in trouble.
Almost at Fairvale, she is forced to stop for the night at the Bates Motel as it is raining too hard for her to reach Fairvale that night. The proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), invites her to dinner at his family house on the hill overlooking the motel. When he leaves to prepare dinner, Marion hears him arguing with his unseen mother, who tells him that she refuses to allow him "bringing in strange young girls for supper".
Norman brings sandwiches to the motel to eat there instead. The two proceed to have a conversation over dinner, topics ranging from taxidermy to Norman's mother, who he says has been mentally ill since the death of her lover. When Marion suggests that his mother be institutionalized, he becomes very aggressive, saying he wants to do so but does not want to abandon her. He
Introduction
“Psycho” (1960) is based on a novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film was directed by Hollywood legend, Alfred Hitchcock. The screen play was written by Joseph Stephano and based on the real life crimes of serial killer, Ed Gein.
The film stars Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, John Gavin and Vera Miles. The film garnered four academy award nominations and widely regarded as one of Hitchcock’s best films. It spawned two sequels, a prequel, a remake and even a television show.
Synopsis
The story begins with Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and her lover, Sam Loomis (John Gavin) who are conducting an illicit affair. Marion is portrayed as a respectable and moral woman and Loomis is, as such, her male counterpart, possessing the same qualities.
Later, at her work place, Marion is entrusted with a large sum of money by her employer. He asks her to deposit it at the bank but in a moment of weakness, Marion takes the money and runs to Fairvale where Sam lives. Though she does her best to be discreet, Marion is a terrible criminal and almost instantaneously draws attention to herself as someone who is in trouble.
Almost at Fairvale, she is forced to stop for the night at the Bates Motel as it is raining too hard for her to reach Fairvale that night. The proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), invites her to dinner at his family house on the hill overlooking the motel. When he leaves to prepare dinner, Marion hears him arguing with his unseen mother, who tells him that she refuses to allow him "bringing in strange young girls for supper".
Norman brings sandwiches to the motel to eat there instead. The two proceed to have a conversation over dinner, topics ranging from taxidermy to Norman's mother, who he says has been mentally ill since the death of her lover. When Marion suggests that his mother be institutionalized, he becomes very aggressive, saying he wants to do so but does not want to abandon her. He